Magic of All Kinds
by CeruleanShockwave
Summary: Gray Fullbuster discovers his dangerous heritage when he is invited to attend Hogwarts at eleven. Fate dictates that he meet Harry, Ron and Hermione and become close to the trio. But Gray bears the weight of too many secrets, and when an alliance between the Dark Lords of two different worlds threatens to obliterate both, will Gray be able to save both without revealing too much?
1. The Boy on the Train

Harry grinned in excitement. He couldn't wait to get on the train! Another twenty minutes and he'd be off to Hogwarts, whisked away to learn to do spells and make potions, to make new friends and have the time of his life, to become someone who didn't need to be scared anymore!

He shivered deliciously at the very thought of it. A whole school year away from the Dursley family! A whole nine months away from being locked in a cupboard, from being beaten almost every day, from being bullied and pushed around by Dudley and his cronies - ah, how he'd enjoy it all!

But first he needed to get _on_ the train.

 _What was the platform number? Nine, I think?_

Harry looked down at his ticket.

 _Platform nine and three quarters... hmm. Why don't I ask one of those guards? They should know where it is!_

Harry walked quickly over and said to a guard standing by Platform Nine, "Excuse me, sir, but could you possibly tell me where Platform Nine and Three Quarters is?"

The guard frowned. "Platform Nine and Three Quarters?" he said roughly. "I've got me no idea who's been feedin' ya what, boy, but there's no 'Platform Nine and Three Quarters' here, nor anywhere else! Since you asked so politely, I'll catch ya a taxi back home, ya get me?"

"Um, no thank you, that's fine," Harry said hastily. "I'll just wait for my mother to get back from the bathroom and ask her instead. Thank you!"

He left quickly, stomach fluttering and wringing his hands in worry. What if he was unable to board in time? What if he missed the train? What if when he got there, he was kicked out because he didn't actually have any magic and they had made a mistake?

He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice when he almost knocked over a young girl with shoulder-length red hair.

"Sorry!" he apologized, alarmed.

The woman who was with her, a short, plump and well-endowed lady with a friendly, warm look in her eyes, smiled at Harry.

"No worries, dear," she said in a kind tone, and then her eyes flicked to the white snowy owl - Hedwig - perched atop Harry's trunk and the lost look on his face, and an understanding light came into her eyes.

She bent down and whispered into Harry's ear, "Are you a first-year at Hogwarts, dear? What's your name?"

Harry nodded quickly, relieved, and said, "Yes, ma'am! My name's Harry."

"Why aren't you on the platform yet then, Harry?" she said worriedly. "You're going to be late!"

"Um, I don't - don't know how to get on," he said quietly, a little embarrassed.

"Oh, is that all?" she said with a genial laugh. "Well, you just run straight through the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten, dearie! Don't be scared, just go on!"

"Thank you, Mrs...?" Harry said politely.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Molly Weasley, and these are my children. Ron here," she pointed to a tall, gangly boy with freckles, who smiled the same wide smile as his mother and waved at Harry, "is starting at Hogwarts too! Fred, George," she addressed two stocky boys who looked identical, "go with dear Harry over here and help him get his luggage onto the train, why don't you?"

Harry said a polite hello to Ron and the twins - Fred and George - and stood beside them.

"All right, just watch Fred and then go!" said one. Harry assumed he was George by the way he had referred to the other boy as Fred.

Fred pushed his trolley through the barrier and disappeared into the red brick.

Harry stared for a moment, amazed, and then did the same.

He phased through the wall and emerged on the other side.

"Whoa," he breathed. The platform was large and lovely and rustic-looking. People in robes milled around, laughing and chatting. Some were also dressed in Muggle clothes, though almost all of them had some form of owl or toad or cat perched on the luggage behind them.

Suddenly, the twins popped up on either side of him.

"Hey, kid," grinned one.

"Come on, let's find you a compartment," beamed the other.

Harry found himself being dragged along by one twin, the other lifting his trunk.

They stopped in front of an empty cabin, and Fred or George (he couldn't tell which) slid the door open.

"Here you go," grinned the other and hefted Harry's trunk up onto the luggage rack above the seats.

"What's your name? I'm Fred Weasley," introduced the one who had dragged Harry in. Harry gave both boys a once-over and realized that Fred had more freckles than George did, and parted his hair to the right, whereas George's was parted to the left. "And he's George," thumbing to the boy behind him.

"I'm Harry," said Harry timidly. "Harry Potter. But, um, I'm just an orphan who found out about magic a month ago! I'm a regular kid!" he said quickly.

"I like him," said Fred with a grin. "Yeah, Georgie?"

"Seems like a nice little kid," said George with a matching smile.

"Anyway, Harry, we'll be leaving now! You want anything, come find us! We'll be sitting up front!"

"Bye!"

Harry called a thanks after Fred and George, who had already left, for helping him load his luggage into the empty compartment he was currently in.

Or at least, a compartment that USED to be empty.

Harry dragged his eyes up to see a slender, tall boy with the beginnings of lean muscle under tan skin, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, looking intently at him. The boy had black hair that fell messily over his forehead and stormy blue eyes that bored into Harry, who felt a bit scared. When had the boy gotten here?

Then he smiled warmly and extended a hand, and Harry's fears disappeared.

"Hey," he said casually. "Gray Fullbuster." His tone was slightly accented.

"H - Harry Potter," Harry stammered out. He knew all about his so-called 'fame' and prayed that this boy wouldn't care much for any of it.

Gray's eyes widened a bit. "Oh," he said.

And then, "I don't care. Friends?"

Harry's heart leapt, and he said a nervously quiet "sure".

And then somehow worked up enough courage to ask, "Uh, what happened to your clothes?"

"Shit!" Gray yelled in a panic, and began a frantic hunt for his clothes.

Harry grinned despite himself.

His first friend seemed pretty crazy, but he also seemed like a true friend.

Harry couldn't wait to get to know him better.

* * *

Gray breathed a sigh of relief as he got onto the platform. He had done so by sneakily watching a bushy-haired, buck-toothed girl, and it had paid off.

He was still a little skeptical about this whole wand magic thing - who from Fiore would trust a 'stick wizard', as they called them there? He had been told dozens of times already that only the most powerful wizards could do magic without a conduit to channel it. Which didn't make sense at all to him, seeing as he didn't need anything to do _his_ spells. According to what Gray knew, certain people needed them and some didn't. Lyon was weak in no sense of the word, and yet he still needed magic circles, didn't he?

So did that mean that most Fiori mages were much more powerful than these guys? Or was it that they practiced magic differently?

Gray shrugged and turned to the window seat. Not his problem so long as his Ice Magic continued to work.

As he looked down on the hustle and bustle of platform scenery below him, his thoughts spun and churned dizzyingly in his head, landing on the one thing he had tried hardest _not_ to think of.

His visit to Gringotts Bank earlier in the month.

 _"My name's Gray. Gray Fullbuster."_

 _"All right, Mr. Fullbuster, here's your vault key," said a kind-looking goblin to him. After you visit your vault and withdraw your money, would you like to have a heritage test done, if you're curious about your magical lineage?"_

 _Why the heck not? Gray figured it wouldn't be too much of a waste of time._

 _"Sure, sir," he said politely. "I wouldn't mind that."_

 _The ride down to the vaults was something Gray enjoyed greatly. He loved the feeling of the roller-coaster type ride, and since his vault was especially deep down for some strange reason (the goblin accompanying him looked on in awe, because apparently the deeper your vault was, the wealthier you were. Gray didn't much care for that kind of bullshit, but being rich would be nice, he thought), it was prolonged. They even passed through a waterfall, which Gray froze just for shits and giggles._

 _The goblin with him explained briefly to Gray about the money system here, and Gray ladled the appropriate amount of money he would need, and then some, into a little pouch. In no time, they had ridden back up, and Gray was internally plotting to bring Natsu here next time he came._

 _"Follow me," said the kind-looking goblin, and Gray trotted calmly along after him. They soon reached a room with high ceilings and a small wooden desk in the middle._

They sat down, the goblin behind it.

The goblin took Gray's hand and laid it flat on a piece of parchment paper. He grabbed a silver needle; Gray flinched away. The goblin leaned forward and pricked his finger before he could react. A drop of rosy red blood oozed out and dropped onto the paper.

Slowly, words blossomed out from the drop of blood, forming sentences and paragraphs that were written in such messy writing that Gray didn't recognize many words at first glance. He flicked his eyes to the top of the sheet and began to read.

Full Name: Gray Fullbuster; alias Ice Prince -

Gray cringed. Back home in his village, he had been a quiet child, showing high intelligence and a certain talent for Ice Make Magic, and his quietness had been mistaken for arrogance, leading to him being dubbed 'Ice Prince' by the other children in the village.

He continued to read.

Full Name: Gray Fullbuster; alias Ice Prince, Ice Stripper, Dumbass, Ice Princess, Kiddo, Gray, etc., etc.

Mother: Mika Fullbuster née Saito; alias none

Father: Silver Fullbuster; alias Absolute Zero

Maternal Grandmother: Aoi Saito née Amano; alias Gram Scary, Grandma Aoi, Grams

Gray winced as he remembered his nickname for Grandma Aoi. She had been a holy terror then, but to be fair, he was all of five, and also quite a handful.

Maternal Grandfather: Reo Saito; alias Grandad, Grandad Reo, Gramps

Paternal Grandmother: Violet Fullbuster; alias Vi, Cold Queen

Gray raised an eyebrow when he didn't see a 'née'. So his grandmother had never been married? Interesting.

Paternal Grandfather: Tom Marvolo Riddle; alias Lord Voldemort

"Um, who's Lord Voldemort?" said Gray curiously.

The goblin stared at him for a split second before bellowing, "That name showed up on your FAMILY TREE?!"

All the kindness was gone from his tone.

Gray blinked. "Um, yeah. He's apparently-" he consulted the sheet. "My paternal grandfather?"

The goblin gaped at him for a minute, before he settled on directing a stare of hatred, not without a fair serving of fear, at Gray.

Said boy was quite confused.

"Seriously, who's Lord Voldemort? Come on, if you're not going to tell me things-" he said, and was cut off by a shaky response.

"Lord Voldemort," and the goblin's voice trembled as he spoke, "was the Darkest Dark Wizard this world has ever encountered. Rumours say that he was the Heir of Salazar Slytherin, one of the very first wizards and co-founder of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry along with Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw. Voldemort was sorted into Slytherin House at Hogwarts. He amassed an army of followers he called 'Death Eaters' soon after he left school, and attempted to take over Wizarding Britain and corrupt it with his views of how only pureblood wizards were suitable to learn magic, and that Muggles, Muggleborns and half-bloods must be squashed underfoot. And to think that you, his grandson, do not even know of his existence!"

Gray frowned. Great, just what he needed. A bigoted megalomaniac for a granddad.

He voiced this accordingly, and added, "He hated all magical creatures too, right?"

"Yes," was the gruff reply.

"Then I don't see why I should agree with him at all. Bigotry and racism is something I hate, having been a victim of it myself. It's dumb and pointless. Muggles are non-magical people, right? So Muggleborns would be witches and wizards who were born to a Muggle family? And thus half-bloods would be half Muggle and half wizard?"

The goblin nodded affirmatively. "That is correct."

"I don't see how someone's blood makes them different," Gray said with a shrug. "So if grandfather dear believes so, then I'm not going to be siding with him. I'm ready to fight family if they've got ideas that'll corrupt their whole being."

The goblin looked afraid.

"You seem completely different from what I expected of a Dark Wizard's grandson," he exclaimed.

"That's bigotry too," Gray pointed out wearily. "Blaming the descendant for the ancestor's sins. It's not like I went out there and actively tortured anyone, right? So how could you expect me to be a certain way just because my so-called grandfather is?"

The goblin flushed a little. "Well, how do I know that you won't turn out the same way?" he said with a sneer.

Gray's jaw dropped.

Gray was pulled back into the present by the sound of luggage thumping outside the compartment door and the door sliding open.

He sighed before getting up, his own trunk shrunk and in his pocket, and finding another seemingly empty part of the train.

Which was why he was so surprised when he saw another boy walk in and give him a scared and confused look.

Gray gave him a quick evaluation and decided that he couldn't do much harm - after all, his own magic was trained pretty well, and this boy seemed a total newbie to it.

He extended a hand, plastering a warm smile on his face.

"Hey," he said casually. "My name's Gray Fullbuster."


	2. The Sorting

**Chapter Summary:** **Gray learns who Harry is, and the two become fast friends. They are soon joined by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and the four hit it off almost immediately. They soon reach Hogwarts and the Sorting begins, though Gray is nervous. What if he's in Slytherin? What will happen when his new friends discover his secret? Will they accept him for it, or will they hate him?**

 **Blackdrake: Thanks for the review! I appreciate it. I copy pasted this fic from my AO3 account - CeruleanShockwave - so it did that.**

 **Sorry for the coding stuff guys! I've cleaned up the chapter now.**

 **Guest: Yep, sorry bout that. Hope you enjoyed the story so far anyway!**

* * *

The boy said in a slightly trembling voice, "H - Harry Potter,"

Gray's eyes widened.

 _Oh, shit, what are the odds? If this guy ever finds out that I'm related to the weirdo he's supposed to kill... I'm so screwed. Plus, he's probably one of those spoiled brats with a gigantic ego, considering all the fame he's got. And I can sense the power he has... if he learns to wield that right, he just could bring the entire world down all by himself. It's crazy!_

"Oh," he said in a strangled tone, and then took in the boy's - _Harry's -_ knobbly knees, thin, trembling arms, skinny body and big nervous green eyes, and promptly came to the conclusion that he had been totally wrong about that last thought.

 _Screw being spoiled, he looks more like he's been being starved! Not to mention how nervous he sounds - he can't possibly be arrogant. Well, Gray, just tell your stupid brain to shut up and try to make some friends for once in your damn life!_

"Doesn't matter to me. Friends?" he said with another smile.

Harry's face flushed pleasantly; he said a shaky "Sure,", still trembling a little.

And then, after seeming in danger of spontaneous combustion from how red he was going, he finally asked, "Uh, what happened to your clothes?"

Gray looked down at his bare chest in realization, screaming, "Shit!" and beginning to hunt for his shirt and pants. Luckily his boxers were still on. He had no qualms about his nudity, but he did want to preserve Harry's fragile innocence for a little while longer.

They traded their stories while they hunted. Harry apparently lived with his aunt and uncle, who were horrible to him, and had had no idea of magic until the owls started showing up. "I've been locked in my cupboard for days on end," he explained, and Gray exclaimed that that was child abuse and he should have reported them. Gray told him about Fiore and Fairy Tail, though not in too much detail, and explained his Ice Magic.

The boys eventually found Gray's shirt balled up under the seat and the pants hanging neatly off the luggage rack - "I thought that was your coat or something," Harry admitted sheepishly - and they both began to crack up, laughing loudly until they were interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open.

A tall, gangly boy with red hair - almost as vivid as Erza's, Gray thought fondly, already missing his strawberry-cake obsessed almost-sister - and tons of freckles stood awkwardly in the doorway, lugging a trunk behind him.

"Um, hi," he said shyly. "The other compartments, uh, were mostly full, and the ones that were empty weren't really, um, you know usable, so uh, I was wondering could I maybe sit here, if that's okay with you?" he ended.

Harry grinned. "Sure!" he said chirpily, and Gray turned to look at his new friend, surpirsed that Harry was being so open and happy. He had only known him for a few minutes, but Harry didn't seem the outgoing type. "Your mom is really nice, you know," he added, and Gray frowned.

"Oh, um, thanks," the boy replied, and then his blue eyes widened in realization. "You're the boy on the platform! I'm Ron. Ron Weasley," he introduced.

"Yeah, I remember," Harry said earnestly. "Uh, I'm Harry."

"And I'm Gray Fullbuster," Gray cut, deciding to jump into the conversation. "Harry, out with it. He seems like a good guy."

"Out with what?" Ron finally stepped inside, heaving his trunk up onto the rack above their heads, and said, "What do you mean?"

"He's Harry Potter," Gray said quickly, before Harry could deny anything. "And he didn't know about magic until about a month ago. I've been a Wizard my whole life, though," he added, seeing the expression on Ron's face. "Look, he's just a regular kid like you, so just treat him normal,"

Ron nodded. "Of course I will! And you're Gray, right?"

"Yep,"

"What did you mean about being a wizard your whole life?"

Gray ran him quickly through his backstory, and Ron gasped in all the right places.

"Could you demonstrate?" he asked.

"Um, okay," Gray said a little nervously, and readied his fist when they were interrupted by the door sliding open again.

A short young girl, already dressed in the black robes Gray recognized from what he had had to buy, stood there. Her bushy brown hair formed a cloud around her head. She held a wand in her hand. A flash of memory assaulted Gray's head, and he frowned. She seemed familiar.

And then he realized it. She had been the girl whom he had observed! He'd have to thank her for that later.

Or maybe not, on second thought. It might sound like he was a stalker.

"Has anybody seen Neville's toad? He can't find it." she said bossily. She must have been referring to the timid-looking boy with black hair who stood behind her. Gray instantly liked her.

Why? Well, she reminded him a lot of Erza. Enough said.

"No," Harry said. "But we could help look," he offered. Ron made a face, but nodded along too.

Gray shrugged. "You could use the extra help, I guess. Besides, not like we have anything else to do," he said.

The girl smiled, and her horrendously sticky-out teeth made Gray shiver a little.

"Thank you!" she chirped. "Let's go, then!"

The toad was eventually found hiding inside a toilet, and the girl made a face before proclaiming, with a wave of her wand, "Scourgify."

Neville chucked the animal back inside its cage and locked it firmly. "Gran would've killed me if I'd lost Trevor," he said.

Harry, Ron and Gray turned to head back to their compartment, but the girl caught onto Harry's sleeve.

Her eyes widened as she all but yelled, "You're Harry Potter!"

Ron winced. "Hey, he's just a normal kid like you," he told the girl matter-of-factly. "So treat him like any other kid."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. "Anyway, my name's Hermione Granger, and your glasses are broken." She pointed her wand at Harry's glasses and incanted clearly, "Reparo!"

The tape on the glasses disappeared, and they fixed themselves quickly. Ron looked on, amazed.

"Shall we take this back to the compartment?" suggested Gray. "Why don't you both come along?"

Neville shook his head. "Sorry, I can't," he said regretfully. "Got to watch over Trevor, and I promised Dean and Seamus - a couple of the other first-years - that I'd hang around with them. They seemed like they really wanted me along, which was quite a nice surprise for me; nobody really does like me, you know."

Gray admired the tact of these boys - Dean and Seamus, strange names. They had probably latched themselves onto Neville, seeing as he was the shy type, and pretended that they needed him more than he did them, so he wouldn't be left alone. It was quite nice of them. Gray supposed he wouldn't _hate_ this place so long as all the British people he met were like the ones he had met or heard of so far.

"That's okay, maybe another time then?" said Hermione, smiling again.

"I'd love that," said Neville, blushing a little.

"Come on!" Ron led them all back to the compartment the boys had been sitting in previously. On the way back, they learned that Hermione had been sitting with Neville, Dean and Seamus, but had had her trunk, shrunken, in her pocket the whole time, and so could easily move into their compartment - which none of them really minded at all.

"Hey, Gray," started Harry.

"Yeah?"

"You said you were going to demonstrate your magic!"

"Oh, you're going to do a spell? But where's your wand?" Hermione said curiously.

Gray smiled slyly.

"Watch." he said, putting a burst of power into his palms and using his well-honed skill to create an exact replica of the Fairy Tail symbol.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "What - how-" she began to splutter.

Gray sighed. "Ugh, I'm sick of telling how I can do magic. Harry, d'you mind?"

Harry quickly related to Hermione Gray's backstory, and the Ice Wizard returned the favour for him. Ron also told them about his seven brothers and his rat Scabbers, whom he detested; Hermione smiled at this.

"My turn," she announced. "I'm a Muggleborn witch. It means I was born to two non-magical parents, but I can do magic."

"That's interesting," frowned Gray. "Where I come from, magic is inherited only. At least an ancestor would've had to have had magic."

"Really? We should discuss that sometime!" Hermione's eyes were gleaming.

 _Oh, god, she's less Erza and more Levy than I thought,_ Gray thought to himself, sweating a little.

The conversation eventually turned to the four Houses. Hermione immediately proclaimed that she wanted to be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.

"The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, was in Gryffindor! But Ravenclaw is the House of Learning, and I do so love to read..." she trailed off, uncertainly.

"I don't think I'd be right for Gryffindor," Ron voiced shyly. "I'd much rather be a Hufflepuff, but my whole family's been in Gryffindor, and I don't want to disappoint them,"

"I want to be in the House that suits me the most," Harry said. "Whichever House I'm picked for, I'm going to be happy for it!"

"What about you, Gray? Slytherin for you?" teased Hermione.

Ron shuddered. "Slytherins are horrible," he said. "They're bigoted, rude idiots,"

"But isn't what you said just bigotry?" Gray asked. "You're just blanket classifying all Slytherins as such. What if I end up there?"

"You're different!"

"Well, if I'm different, then you should be willing to give everyone else a chance too, right?"

"... I guess." Ron admitted finally. "But seriously, do you think you'll be in Slytherin?"

"I don't know. I guess I agree with Harry."

Whew. Major crisis averted. Gray breathed a sigh of relief as Hermione began to tell them all about the Houses and their Founders. It was very interesting, and Gray found himself enjoying the discussion.

* * *

Ron frowned as a tall, pale boy he recognized threw open the door to their compartment and strode in as if he owned the ting. He was flanked by two large, gorilla-like boys - presumably his thugs.

Draco Malfoy threw Ron a sideways glance before sneering, "Ah, you must be a _Weasley,_ "

That got Ron. "And so what if I am? It's much better than being someone like _you._ " he retorted heatedly.

Malfoy turned his gaze fully to Ron. "Watch what you say, you little blood-traitor," he hissed, and then took a good, long look at Harry and Gray.

"They've been saying all along the train that Harry Potter was in this compartment," he said with a small smirk. "Which one of you is it?"

"That would be me," said Harry with a fierce glare. Ron frowned. Had Harry met Malfoy before?

An oily grin crossed Malfoy's face.

"You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." he said, sticking out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry simply looked at it coldly.

"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said calmly.

"You're making a mistake," hissed Malfoy, and then turned to Gray. "Maybe you can make him see sense. What's your name?"

"Gray Fullbuster," Gray replied, and Ron swore the temperature dropped by a few degrees.

"Oh." Malfoy said, clearly taken aback. "That's... quite interesting. Well, will you, at least...?" And he stuck out a hand again.

"Sorry, but I do really think that being so full of bigotry and idiocy like you seem to be is, you know, the wrong sort, as you say."

Malfoy's cheeks coloured, and he signaled to his goons, who cracked their knuckles and went to punch Gray.

In a few seconds, they lay on the floor with bleeding noses, while Gray, who hadn't moved an inch, smiled serenely.

"I grew up in a world of constant battle; and that made me a pretty skilled fighter, if I do say so myself," he said quietly. "Don't think you can beat me if you're this woefully untrained."

Malfoy, huffing, stalked out of the compartment, and Harry grinned.

"That," he said, smiling, "was _awesome!"_

* * *

Hermione looked at her watch and yelped.

"You should change! We'll be there any minute!"

The boys, heeding her advice, pushed her out while they quickly changed into their robes. Naturally, Gray was the fastest.

"How are you so quick?" Harry asked, still struggling to put his head through his robe. He couldn't believe how fast his friend was at changing.

"My teacher would force me to strip and train my magic in the cold, since it's ice," the other boy explained. "I got pretty good at stripping quick - I do it even by accident now,"

Ron snickered. "Seriously?"

"Oh, so that's where it comes from!" exclaimed Harry. "I've seen proof," he told Ron. "Earlier today!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Harry, finally having found out how to drape the robe around himself, happily tied it and sat down. "That he strips unconsciously. No kidding!"

"That... is so weird... but also so cool. Don't ask why. I don't know why I think it's cool, but I do," Ron said.

"You know you're the first person to say my stripping is cool?" Gray said, eyebrow raised.

"I must be," Ron replied. "After all, no sane person would go 'wow, a stripper is so cool', right?"

"I think we've established that we're all quite insane," Harry stated, noticing that they were all done and throwing open the door to let Hermione back in.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" she squealed. "I can't believe we're going to be there so soon!"

Suddenly, the redhead twins from earlier - Fred and George - came barreling into the compartment.

"Oho, what do we have here?" said one, hand on his hip. Harry couldn't quite recall which one he was, Fred or George.

"George," groaned Ron, head in his hands.

"Little Ronnie! You made friends with Harry here! And who're you two?" said Fred, gesturing to Gray and Hermione.

The introductions were quickly made, and Fred pointed out the window.

"You see it right there?" he said.

"See what?" Harry asked.

"Oh, right, we forgot you kiddos can't see it," George laughed. "We'll show you next year!"

And with that, they were off.

* * *

A tall, bear-like man stood in front of the large lake, a beatific grin on his face. Hermione had been a little scared when she saw his silhouette, but then she got a good look at his face and it all went away. He did not seem the brutish kind; in fact, he looked more of a gentle giant than anything.

"I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts," he began, winking at Harry, who grinned back - that was strange, did they know each other? Gray hissed the same question to her a second later - "and I'm gon' take yeh all up to the school, right up there 'cross the lake. Yeh get meh? So all yeh get in the boats - not more than four to each, mind yeh!"

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Gray quickly clambered into a boat before anyone else could separate them. Hermione could tell these boys were nice, and they'd be good friends. Plus they weren't very hard on the eye; Harry particularly. Some would say Gray's deep blue eyes, lean but muscular figure and powerful aura was, well, more attractive, but Hermione preferred the skinny, glasses-wearing, green-eyed type - or was that just her? Never mind.

She was brought back to reality by Gray saying, "Harry, did you know that man - Hagrid?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a fond smile. "He helped me get my supplies and stuff, you know, at Diagon Alley,"

"Oh," Hermione exclaimed. "Didn't a professor come for you and demonstrate magic and the like? A nice lady named Professor McGonagall did for me!"

"No." Harry said, shaking his head. "My aunt and uncle absolutely _hate_ magic in any way, shape or form, so that was a no-go, I guess,"

Hermione frowned. "Yes, you told us, right? I remember. It's not right for them to treat you the way they do! That's child abuse!"

Gray nodded. "I said the same thing."

Harry flushed and said, "I don't think it's all that bad, really,"

"It is!" exclaimed his three companions in unison.

"Look, you obviously can't stay with them during your hols," Hermione said in exasperation. "So you could come stay with me, or Ron maybe! I don't know whether Gray's - guild, was it? - will let you stay, since you're not one of them."

"Fairy Tail won't mind," Gray said. "They're good guys, if a _bit_ destructive."

"Exactly how destructive?" Hermione asked.

"We, um, usually manage to destroy a couple towns each time we go out on Jobs, so..." Gray winced a little, and Hermione could tell that he was one of the main instigators most of the time just by the look in his eyes.

"And are _you_ involved in this?" she said shrewdly.

"... Yeah. If my idiot rival slash friend Natsu's with me, we usually destroy a couple, but if it's me alone, I only wreak havoc on maybe a house or two, and that totally accidental." Gray said. avoiding her gaze.

"Well then, that's a no-go, but probably Ron or me should be fine. Either way, you're _not_ going back to those vile - idiots!" Hermione said fiercely to Harry, angry at the fact that he would just let his uncle and aunt and cousin walk over him like a doormat.

"Yeah," Ron nodded. "Well, I can't promise you a great stay, since, um, we don't have very much money-"

"I wouldn't care as long as all your family is as cool as you, your mum and the twins are," cut in Harry, staring firmly into his new friend's eyes.

Ron flushed, cheeks going tomato-red.

"Um... thanks," he finally said.

The four sat in companionable silence for a while, mulling over different things. Hermione thought about her parents. Were they missing her? Of course they would, that was a silly question. She smiled inwardly, reminiscing the fond times she'd had with them.

She really _did_ have good parents. They loved her more than anything, and always made time in their busy schedules as dentists to do something with her, their introverted, bookish daughter.

Hermione was pulled out of her blissful haze of memory by the sound of Gray clapping a hand to his mouth.

"Oh... oh, my God, guys," he said eventually, pointing up ahead. "Just _look_ at that, will you!"

Hermione turned around to see a giant castle, perched majestically upon a large outcropping of rock. It was surrounded by little flickering yellow lights that just added to its rustic charm. The dark, midnight-blue, star-spangled sky provided the perfect backdrop.

"Right up there!" Hagrid announced, pointing towards the castle. "Your first ever sightin' o' Hogwarts!"

"Oh, wow," Hermione whispered. "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

And at that moment, all the four first-years in that boat knew that that sight was one they'd cherish all their lives. No other scene could be quite like it - quite like their very first glimpse of Hogwarts Castle, standing proud atop the Scotland rocks.

* * *

A tall, severe-looking woman, black hair scraped into a tight bun on the top of her head, wearing an emerald-green wizards' hat and robes - the exact colour of Harry's eyes, Gray realized - like the ones Gray had seen in books, stood at the front of the small chamber the new students'd been led into, just off the ornate Entrance Hall, and began to speak.

"Welcome, first-years. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly in the Great Hall," here she indicated the set of large doors behind her, "but first, you will be sorted into one of four Hogwarts Houses - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin," she said with what seemed like an attempt at a welcoming smile.

Gray had to say it didn't quite succeed.

"The Sorting is extremely important, because your House will be like your family at Hogwarts. You will attend classes with the rest of the first-years in your House, sleep in the House dormitories and spend free time in the House common rooms. Each house has produced its fair share of outstanding witches and wizards, and each has a history as noble as any other. While you are here, your triumphs will earn you House points, while any misbehaviour will result in you losing points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points wins the House Cup, which is a great honour,"

"I hope each one of you will be a credit to whichever house chooses you." she finished. "Now do wait silently; I will be back soon."

And the minute she left, pearly white clouds of mist _swooped_ into the room.

On taking a closer look, Gray observed that these clouds looked rather like - _humans?_

Did that mean they were ghosts?!

Harry and Hermione were staring, wide-eyed, at the ghosts. Gray joined them in doing so, while Ron just laughed it off and told them, "These must be the House ghosts. See, the fat one's called the Fat Friar, he's the Hufflepuff ghost, the one with blood down his front," _blood? That must be the silvery thing. The guy looks mean_ , thought Gray with a slight shudder, "is the Bloody Baron, for Slytherin, the guy with the ruff is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington of Gryffindor - my brother Percy drilled that into me, they all think I'm going to be a Gryffindor! - and that sad-looking woman is the Grey Lady. Ravenclaw."

The ghosts were all chattering imperceptibly, and Gray tried his best to listen, but couldn't hear a thing.

Professor McGonagall, in all her emerald-robed glory, swept back in and ordered them into a line, whereupon she led them into the Great Hall.

For what was probably the hundredth time that day, Gray's jaw dropped.

" _Whoa,_ " he breathed, looking up at the starry ceiling - was it an open rooftop? What would they do if it rained? - and the hundreds of candles floating around.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside," hissed Hermione to him, Harry and Ron. "Don't worry, if it rains, it only _looks_ like it's raining. I read that in Hogwarts: A History."

Gray smiled a little. Hermione had referenced that book at _least_ a hundred times by now, and that was only in about six hours.

Professor McGonagall pulled a little stool and a ragged hat out, and placed the hat on the stool. There was a wide tear in the brim.

Which promptly opened wide and burst into song.

" _Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_  
 _But don't judge on what you see,_  
 _I'll eat myself if you can find_  
 _A smarter hat than me._

That would be quite amusing to see. Gray made up his mind to find such a hat. After all, he lived in _Fairy Tail_. He could easily ask someone to bewitch a hat or something.

 _You can keep your bowlers black,  
_ _Your top hats sleek and tall,  
_ _For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_  
 _And I can cap them all._

Oh, Makarov would _kill_ for this hat. It seemed so like him.

 _There's nothing hidden in your head_  
 _The Sorting Hat can't see,_  
 _So try me on and I will tell you_  
 _Where you ought to be._

Okay, what? Gray was not okay with that. He had too many secrets.

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,_  
 _Where dwell the brave at heart,_  
 _Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_  
 _Set Gryffindors apart;_

Gray smiled a little. Natsu was a perfect fit for this House.

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
_ _Where they are just and loyal,_  
 _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_  
 _And unafraid of toil;_

Erza would be just right in Hufflepuff, Gray thought, and then imagined her dressed in the bright yellow robes the students at that table sported. It brought a snicker to his lips which he had to hastily hide.

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
_ _if you've a ready mind,_  
 _Where those of wit and learning,_  
 _Will always find their kind;_

The robe colour would go with Levy's hair too, thought Gray amusedly.

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin  
_ _You'll make your real friends,_  
 _Those cunning folks use any means_  
 _To achieve their ends._

Gray gulped a little. Would he be in Slytherin?

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!_  
 _And don't get in a flap!_  
 _You're in safe hands (though I have none)_  
 _For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The students clapped politely at the end of the song. Harry was laughing a little.

McGonagall took out a large roll of parchment and explained quickly how the Sorting worked. Then she began to read out names from the parchment.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hat yelled out its decision within seconds.

The next three people were sorted into Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor respectively. So far Slytherin hadn't gotten a single first-year.

It was now clear that it was all in alphabetical order, and so Gray tuned out until the F's began.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

Gray snapped back to reality.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus!"

The Hat took a little longer this time - almost a minute - before it finally yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Fullbuster, Gray!"

Gray gulped. This was it.

He slowly walked forward, black robes swishing around his ankles, and sat down on the stool, placing the Hat over his head. It slipped down a little over his fringe - he could just barely see.

 _Hmm. Very well. Gray Fullbuster, is it? _said a voice inside his head.

Gray freaked out.

 _What the -_

 _Calm down, boy. I'm the Sorting Hat, of course. Don't worry, no one can hear us._

 _Yeah, look, don't look inside my head._

 _T hat's very strange. I can't seem to see anything. Your walls are strong._ The Hat sounded mildly impressed.

Gray smiled, a little proud.

 _But not impenetrable,_ it added, and his spirits dropped.

 _Let's see... hmm, brave and powerful; also loyal and hardworking. You're very smart, but predominantly cunning, very ambitious, and quite willing to use almost anything to your advantage... my boy, by broad definition, you could have been in any House, but you and I both know where the only perfect fit for you is._

 _I don't want this._

 _But it is what you_ _need. And what you should be. You can change Slytherin House. You are exactly what Salazar looked for in a Slytherin._

 _I..._

 _It is what it is. And you are an innate Slytherin. It doesn't hurt that you're directly related to him._

 _Wait, what? I'm what?_

 _Didn't you know? Your paternal grandfather Tom Riddle is his direct_ _descendant._

 _Please don't tell anybody! I hate him and I have never even heard of him! Please don't!_

 _Unlike most, I will not judge you by your grandfather's misdeeds. You are not like him; do not worry. You are innately good, I can say. I really shouldn't be doing this, but what the hell, I like you. You're a nice kid._

 _Um, thank you?_

 _You're welcome. And_ _now..._

"SLYTHERIN!" boomed the Hat loudly, and the Hall went completely silent.

Except for the sound of three people clapping.

Hermione, Ron and Harry, wide smiles on their faces, were clapping for all they were worth.


End file.
